Obesity, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or greater, has been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems. Obesity is quickly becoming a widespread problem across the world. Unfortunately, obesity is already of great concern in the United States.
Obesity
To determine individual risk of obesity, calculating body mass index is the first step. To determine body mass index use the following calculation: Height in meters squared divided by weight in kilograms. A body mass idex of 18.5 to 24.9 is consided healthy, 25 to 29.9 overweight and 30 or higher obese. Because body mass index does not take into account muscle weight, it is important to take other factors into consideration, such as waist circumference.
Obesity Rate
In 1996, the entire United States had obesity rates under 20 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2009, just 13 years later, only Colorado and the District of Columbia had similar rates. In fact, 33 states had rates of 25 percent or more and of those 33, 9 states had rates above 30 percent. States with the highest obesity rates are concentrated in the Southern United States. The 9 states with the highest rates include Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Trends
The trends seen in overall obesity are similar to trends seen in children, black non-Hispanic and Hispanics. All of these groups have been increasing drastically over the last decade and have increased disproportionately in the South. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007-2008 indicates 16.9 percent of children 2 to 19 years are considered obese. According to the Center of Disease Control, blacks are shown to have a 51 percent higher obesity rate and Hispanics had a 21 percent higher rate when compared to whites.
Health Impacts
Obesity can lead to many health disparities, such as diabetes and heart disease. With the ever increasing obesity rates in America, prevention is even more important. For those already obese, weight loss can help correct existing health problems. Negative health impacts of obesity can be prevented through a healthy diet and exercise. Reliable diet and exercise information can be found online at My Pyramid.
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